Last Friday’s paper carried two columns which contained criticisms of local bookstores and compared them disadvantageously to on-line opportunities to purchase books.

In light of those criticisms, your readers may be interested in the following information about the University Bookstore.

First, the University Bookstore buys back books, a service not offered by many on-line companies.

The bookstore pays up to 55 percent of the original cost when the text in question will be used again at ISU.

When texts will not be used again, they are purchased by used-books companies who are independent of the University Bookstore and who thus establish their own prices (usually 10-30 percent of new books).

At the end of the academic year, the bookstore typically earns about five percent on its book sales, earnings that are routinely returned to the general university fund to help pay for other university operations.

Second, the bookstore offers students and the university a convenient service.

There is usually little or no delay in obtaining books, and the costs of handling and freight are already part of the sale price.

And when courses are added or dropped, often at the last-minute, the bookstore must accommodate these last minute changes at its own expense.

Nor can the bookstore “cherry pick” the university’s textbook lists, as an on-line service can, and order only those texts that will yield the highest profit.

The university store must order all texts for all courses.

Finally, your readers may be interested in knowing that the bookstore hires a number of students and thus helps the local student economy.

Normally, the store employs 40-45 students but hires more students during peak times.

Robert Bataille

Professor

English

Chair, University Bookstore Committee